Council launches consultation on ambitious plans to transform 73 hectares of Birmingham City Centre

Birmingham City Council has launched a public consultation on plans to transform 73 hectares of Birmingham City Centre known as the Rea Valley Urban Quarter.

Accommodating over 5,000 new homes the Rea Valley Urban Quarter will provide affordable and private housing, attracting families to the city centre supported by a range of community facilities and employment space. Expanding out from the Birmingham Smithfield development the area will focus on a reimagined River Rea as a green corridor that enhances its water management role and delivers significant biodiversity benefits.

As part of the plans, Highgate Park will be rejuvenated and will become part of a green network to help reconnect the park to the wider city centre. In total over 5 hectares of new and improved high-quality multifunctional public space will be created along with a multitude of pocket parks and green roofscapes.

The creation of new homes in the area will also see the development of employment space to support business growth and job creation.

Illustrative image showing the naturalisation of a section of the River Rea

Cllr Ian Ward, Leader of Birmingham City Council, said: “This announcement for the Rea Valley Urban Quarter demonstrates Birmingham’s continued ambition to transform the city, delivering new homes and improved employment opportunities. The announcement of Lendlease as our preferred development partner for the Birmingham Smithfield development has provided a catalyst to bring forward plans for the wider area and deliver the next phase of the Big City Plan.

“These exciting plans will create a vibrant, mixed use neighbourhood with a network of green spaces and routes at its heart providing high quality environments for current and future residents along with ecological benefits.”

Following the success of Birmingham Smithfield, the Rea Valley Urban Quarter will help complete the delivery of the largest area of transformation within the city centre. The city council has produced a Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) for the area which sets out plans for major improvements to the area’s infrastructure alongside guidance for future development and investment.

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